What Car? JD Power Dealer Survey

You've bought a new car and are happy with your decision, but what sort of service can you now expect from the dealer? Find out with the 2013 JD Power Satisfaction Survey service results.

Good service makes all the difference
Every new car buyer deserves a friendly, efficient, and value-for-money service from their local dealership. What Car? has teamed up with JD Power and Associates, the world leading publisher of research into vehicle ownership, to find out which manufacturers get it right, and which ones don't.

How the results are calculated
The analysis is based on the dealer service portion of JD Power's 2013 UK Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study, and considers the views of 13,511 customers who had a service experience with their dealership within the past 12 months. They gave feedback on vehicles bought between January 2010 and December 2011.

This part of the survey focuses on a number of areas, including the booking process, overall staff helpfulness, dealership facilities, quality of work and how fair the service charges were.

Results in full:

**27 Chevrolet 
Satisfaction rating: 69.7%

Another year at the bottom of the survey for Chevrolet. Customers awarded it the lowest marks in every category bar one. Work was too pricey and took too long, said owners. Service advisers were the best part, while limited parking was a particular bugbear. More than 40% said they probably wouldn't go back.

26 Alfa Romeo
Satisfaction rating: 72.7% 

Alfa falls six places in the survey. Customers criticised everything from inconvenient parking to the size of their bills. In fact, when it came to value for money, Alfa was rated worst overall. Polite service advisers were their dealers' saving grace, although more than a quarter of customers said they wouldn't buy there again.

25 Fiat
Satisfaction rating: 75.7%

Fiat customers reported a better experience this year than last, moving the dealer network up one place. Highest praise went to dealership cleanliness and helpfulness of staff at pick-up. Cars were returned in reasonable condition, but customers didn't feel prices were fair. However, more said they'd continue with Fiat than in 2012.

23= Peugeot
Satisfaction rating: 76.9% 

Peugeot plummets 12 places after 26% of its customers said they'd be unlikely to revisit their dealer. Polite and friendly service advisers were given highest marks, while owners felt their cars were returned in almost spotless condition. Bills weren't quite so agreeable, though, and the work could have been carried out more quickly.

23= Mitsubishi
Satisfaction rating: 76.9% 

A lacklustre showing drops Mitsubishi nine places. Although clean dealerships manned by friendly staff were rated well, complaints included uncomfortable waiting areas and difficulty with access and parking. Almost a third said they wouldn't be back, although 85% said they'd recommend the network to others.

22 Mazda
Satisfaction rating: 77.2% 

Customers upped their scores for Mazda, resulting in a three-place rise. Simple booking procedures and clean premises won dealers their best marks, while cars were returned in good nick after servicing. Insufficient parking and steep charges were the biggest gripes, but most customers said they might be tempted back.

21 Suzuki
Satisfaction rating: 77.6% 

Suzuki dealers raised their game this year. Customers found it easy to book a service at a convenient time, and enjoyed a good relationship with staff. The network was let down by poor waiting areas, and prices that were a little too steep. However, 88% said they'd recommend their dealer to family and friends.

20 Vauxhall
Satisfaction rating: 77.7% 

Vauxhall customers said it was easy to book in their cars for servicing, and said friendly advisers were on hand to help them. Customer perceptions of their experience from then on were rather less impressive, although dealers did improve enough for the network to climb three places up the index. 

19 Audi
Satisfaction rating: 78.0% 

A fall of nine spots for Audi drops it out of the top 10 and into the table's bottom third. Owners complained about high charges, but did say dealership facilities were what you'd expect of a premium brand. They felt their cars were in safe hands, but in general, scores suggested they found the experience rather underwhelming.

18 Ford
Satisfaction rating: 78.6% 

Ford rose two places, after owners said their dealers had nailed the service booking process. Staff were friendly and cars were handed back clean and in good condition. However, bills were higher than expected, while parking was tight and waiting areas weren't as salubrious as many customers expected from a market leader.

15= Mini
Satisfaction rating: 79.1% 

Getting their car into the workshop was the biggest hurdle Mini owners faced, and they gave their lowest scores to the booking process. They also reported a finger-tapping wait at vehicle drop-off. However, work was completed quickly and to a high standard, and cars were returned in good condition. Even charges were deemed fair.

15= Citroen
Satisfaction rating: 79.1%

Citroen has moved up four places. Customers were impressed with the speed and efficiency of bookings. Service advisers were friendly and helpful, and workmanship was deemed top-notch. On the downside, customers said they'd prefer lower bills, more comfortable waiting areas and more parking spaces.

15= BMW
Satisfaction rating: 79.1% 

BMW dealers were rewarded for their improved service levels with scores that boosted them one place. Dealerships were judged clean and comfy, while technicians carried out top-quality work. This premium service came at a premium price, however, and many owners were unhappy about long waits for their cars to be serviced.

13= Volkswagen
Satisfaction rating: 79.2%

Customers felt Volkswagen dealers took pride in their premises, customer care and work, and reported a job well done ñ and with a smile. More than three-quarters said they'd probably buy another VW from the same place, and even more said they'd recommend their dealer. Better parking and cheaper bills would be nice, though.

13= Hyundai
Satisfaction rating: 79.2% 

**Hyundai customers' renewed confidence in their dealers helped push the network up five places. Staff were friendly and flexible when it came to bookings, while premises were clean and tidy. On the whole, work was thorough, with cars handed back in fine fettle. However, customers felt they paid over the odds.

12 Renault
Satisfaction rating: 79.3% 

Customers reported an impressive aftersales experience, highlighting courteous and helpful staff. Dealerships were clean, although waiting areas could do with a few more creature comforts, and more parking bays would help. The network was deemed one of the 10 fairest in the survey when it came to service charges. 

11 Seat
Satisfaction rating: 79.5% 

Seat customers said they could rely on their dealer to look after their car and leave no stone unturned in the workshop. They also felt cared for by staff. Dealerships were clean, although perhaps not as comfortable as they could be. Finding a parking spot was particularly tough, however, and charges were on the steep side.

9= Nissan
Satisfaction rating: 80.2% 

Clean dealerships and cars that were well valeted before being handed back helped to keep Nissan in the top 10. Customers were also pleased with the quality of work and the helpful staff. Bookings were hassle-free, too. Only a dearth of parking and tricky-to-access premises took the shine off the experience.

9= Kia
Satisfaction rating: 80.2%

The Kia network makes it into the top 10 after customers raved about the quality of workmanship at their dealers; an impressive 87% said they'd recommend their service to friends. It wasn't all high praise, though. Owners often found it tricky to negotiate dealership entrances and park, and said bills were too high.

8 Volvo
Satisfaction rating: 80.8% 

Volvo dealers were as solid and reliable as their cars, said owners. They gave their highest praise to workshop technicians, who were deemed quick, thorough and helpful, taking the time to explain any work that needed to be done. The worst scores were reserved for high prices and a limited number of parking spaces.

7 Skoda
Satisfaction rating: 81.4% 

Skoda customers were happier than ever with their dealers. A staggering 89% reported they'd heartily recommend them to others, after being impressed by their slick bookings service and caring, friendly advisers. Owners also felt they were charged fairly compared to rivals, but said waiting areas could be better appointed.

5= Toyota
Satisfaction rating: 82.0%

Loyalty is Toyota's reward for delivering consistently outstanding service. An impressive 80% of Toyota owners said they'd buy another car from their dealer, and a stonking 88% said they'd tell their friends about the excellent service they'd enjoyed, citing polished premises and professional, helpful and friendly staff.

5= Land Rover
Satisfaction rating: 82.0% 

Land Rover owners said their dealer experience was befitting of their cars' premium badge, reporting that staff made them feel welcome and cared for, but rave reviews also went to the dealerships themselves ñ for plush surroundings and refreshments on tap. Most importantly, they trusted the technicians to look after their cars.

4 Mercedes-Benz
Satisfaction rating: 82.6% 

Another year, another impressive performance from Mercedes-Benz dealers, who customers said excelled at making them feel valued and well cared for. A third of customers rated their service advisers as outstanding, while 56% found dealer waiting areas positively sumptuous, although they did feel this luxury came at a price.

3 Honda
Satisfaction rating: 84.0%

Accommodating, helpful, professional, friendly: the Honda dealer network is getting most things right when it comes to aftersales, according to their customers. Only limited parking spaces took the shine off some owners' experiences. Every other part of the service was rated as exceptional. Customers felt that they were getting value for money, too, with 31% stating that the fairness of the charges was outstanding. No surprise that 92% would recommend their Honda dealer to friends and family, then.

2 Lexus 
Satisfaction rating: 85.4% 

Lexus owners are happier than ever with their dealers, rating them even more highly than last year. They reported seamless, textbook levels of service from the moment they picked up the phone to make a booking, to collecting their car after it had been in the workshop. Work was completed on time, cars were returned in mint condition and keys handed back promptly and with a smile. Customers had no qualms about paying their bills, either, and they rated the network the best in the survey for fair prices.

1 Jaguar
Satisfaction rating: 85.5% 

It’s official: Jaguar owners love their dealers as much as their cars, yet again awarding the network top marks in the survey. Customers gave glowing reviews about their dealers right across the board, feeling they gave the ultimate in customer care. 

Friendly advisers were flexible and understanding in finding booking slots that suited customers’ busy schedules, vehicle hand-over and pick-up was quick and painless and staff took the time to explain the technical details of any work that was required. The quality of what they did was also praised, with 68% of customers rating work as excellent or outstanding. 

It’s a performance that’s highlighted by this year’s Motor Codes Franchised Garage of the Year, Sturgess of Leicester – a Jaguar main dealer. 'Excellent attention to detail', 'happy to go the extra mile to help', 'a quick, efficient service and within the agreed timescale' are all typical comments from happy customers.